80pc want universal suffrage early

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Nearly 80 per cent of Hong Kong people want universal suffrage as early as possible with the government urged to set up a 'well-represented' advisory committee to map out election arrangements, a poll shows.

The poll, commissioned by the Alliance for Universal Suffrage, found that 68 per cent want arrangements for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legislative Council election in 2020 to be done in one go.

Alliance convenor Fung Wai-wah said they were asking the government to sort out the consultation as soon as the next chief executive assumed the post next year.

'The government should focus on tackling social and economic problems instead of being troubled by continuous debates on electoral reform every few years,' Fung said.

An electoral reform bill for the election of the chief executive and for Legco next year was passed in March, following a decision by the National People's Congress Standing Committee in 2007 that allowed universal suffrage for the chief executive in 2017 and following Legco elections.

But the arrangements for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legco elections in 2016 and 2020 have not been discussed so far. The current government says it is not authorised to deal with the matter.

About 1,000 people were interviewed from June 28 to July 6. A total of 79.4 per cent said they want universal suffrage for the chief executive and Legco as soon as possible. Meanwhile, 81.1 per cent said the government should set up a 'well-represented' advisory committee to form a consensus on election arrangements. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent.